


your presents is requested

by ryanwolfe



Series: happy hollifics [1]
Category: CSI: Miami
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Christmas, Christmas Presents, First Kiss, Love Confessions, M/M, Post-Canon, Post-Series, Ryan is Jewish, Secret Santa
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-13
Updated: 2020-12-13
Packaged: 2021-03-11 00:13:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,155
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28066023
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ryanwolfe/pseuds/ryanwolfe
Summary: Because nothing went his way and fate was not on his side, Eric ended up drawing Ryan’s name from the hat. This was complicated for two reasons: one, Ryan is Jewish and doesn’t even celebrate Christmas so Eric couldn’t pass on any Christmas knickknacks as gifts, and two: Eric kind of had a crush on the man that bloomed within the time period after he broke up with Calleigh.(also known as the secret santa au, featuring a shy lovesick eric and smooth planner ryan)
Relationships: Eric Delko/Ryan Wolfe
Series: happy hollifics [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2055936
Comments: 4
Kudos: 20





	your presents is requested

**Author's Note:**

> part one of twelve of my holiday fic series: happy hollifics
> 
> context:  
> this was written as a rush due to the fact that i am also studying for finals but had the desire to write some holiday fics
> 
> also, because the actor who plays ryan, jonathan togo is jewish, i thought it would be fun and fitting to head canon him in this series as jewish. (there was a hint of jewish!ryan in canon, though it was never officially confirmed)  
> (also, sorry if i offended people who are jewish, clearly i don't have experience and i was in a rush to get this done i didn't get to fully research)
> 
> finally, i received a message on tumblr ([@brandtwilliam](https://brandtwilliam.tumblr.com/)) about someone who loved my fics which made my day, so thank you (you know who you are) and on that same day, someone had gifted me a lovely fic which sort of inspired this fic in turn, so also thank you.
> 
> warning: the writing isn't the greatest because i was in a rush and i am trying to study for finals at the same time, sorry 
> 
> (// = time skips)

Eric ducks his head out into the hallway, double checking that no one, especially anyone on the team is watching him. He turns his head, left to right before speeding towards Ryan’s lab, quickly planting a neatly wrapped gift on the table before rushing back to the safety of his own lab.

Attempting to appear casual as he walks down the hallway, Eric curses the glass walls that make up the building, spotting blonde hair over his shoulder. He hurries his steps, hoping to avoid Calleigh in case she’s planning on a confrontation of who got him and sighs a breath of relief when she gets sidetracked by Walter.

Slipping into his lab, he slumps against the door, grateful that he wasn’t caught when he notices something out of place. Stepping towards the table, Eric notices a thin envelope cleverly hidden under one of his unfinished case reports.

Tearing into it eagerly, Eric was pleasantly surprised to find a gift card to his favorite massage parlor and placed the car in his personal drawer after reading through the note that came with it, entailing that it would work for one free massage of choice.

Eric spent the rest of the day with a smile on his face, never even banishing after Horatio sent him out to scourge for evidence in a dumpster near the newest crime scene.

The Secret Santa idea was first brought up by Calleigh, who wanted to do something special with the team for the holidays. After everything they’re gone through this year, it would be nice to bring them all together. So, Horatio had them all draw names out of a Santa hat at the beginning of the month and every week til Christmas, they were to secretly give their chosen person a gift.

Because nothing went his way and fate was not on his side, Eric ended up drawing Ryan’s name from the hat. This was complicated for two reasons: one, Ryan is Jewish and doesn’t even celebrate Christmas so Eric couldn’t pass on any Christmas knickknacks as gifts, and two: Eric kind of had a crush on the man that bloomed within the time period after he broke up with Calleigh.

Obviously, Eric was on his own for this one. He couldn’t exactly ask Calleigh, despite the fact that they are still best friends and decided to bury that chapter of them dating. the poor woman was still trying to balance raising adopted twins while working on the job and figuring out what to buy for Horatio. (She had confided in Eric after panicking over the fact that she had the hardest person for Secret Santa, he was not touching that with a ten feet pole.)

After extensive research, aka observing Ryan and making notes on what he likes, Eric went into the mall with a plan and came out with a hope that once everyone revealed their Secret Santa, he would man up and confess his feelings for Ryan.

He had gone the simple route, gifting the man an assortment of Hanukah themed items and little logical things that Eric thought Ryan would like.

The first week, he had left an engraved metal dreidel in Ryan’s locker after breaking into it and hid in the locker room to see Ryan’s reaction when the younger man found it.

The wide smile that Ryan sported when he inspected it upon detail and the brightness in his eyes made Eric almost speechless over how beautiful Ryan looked in that moment.

Of course, because Eric had chosen to watch Ryan’s reaction to his gift, he had forgotten to keep his own eye on his Secret Santa, when he returned to his lab and discovered a package waiting for him.

The note left on top only had two words: _‘for you’_ , (of course typed, because they’re csis and they know how to hide their tracks) which left him intrigued, ripping open the box to see a make your own alcohol mixing set. Another note was included and this time Eric laughed, because it said: _‘considering how much you like to hit up bars…’_

Apparently, his Secret Santa had humor and knew exactly what kind of gift to give him.

Eric spent the rest of his week wondering who could be his gift giver while also watching Ryan, who seemed to fidget with the dreidel on his free time. that had caused warmth to spread in his chest the first time he noticed it.

//

The second week brought forth things that were on the more practical side for both Ryan and Eric.

This time, Eric figured he’d give his gift earlier to Ryan in order to be able to go see if he can catch his own Secret Santa in the act.

Eric had a flash of genius when he realizes where he can sneak Ryan’s gift while at the same time catching his reaction.

When Horatio gets word of a new crime scene, he has Eric and Ryan sent over to process evidence.

Ryan finds his next gift clipped to the passenger seat visor when he flips it down to block the sun out of his eyes and it falls into his lap. Eric tries his hardest to not act suspicious and sneaks a peek at Ryan while he opens it. Ryan lets out a big chuckle, clearly surprised at the tiny box that holds a mini bottle of hand sanitizer and the scrap piece of paper in typed words that says: _‘For when you come out of the morgue…’_

Eric holds back the grin threatening to break out on his face. There have been too many times he’s seen the disgusted expression cross Ryan’s face when he returns from the morgue, rushing to wash his hands in the bathroom. Eric does not think that it’s adorable, absolutely not, not even a little.

(Okay, so maybe he does. It’s not his fault that this grown man looks so much like a cute puppy, Eric can only handle so much as a person.)

He does however get to spend the time processing the crime scene while soaking in the sunshine smile on ryan’s face, who is in happy spirits over his Secret Santa, which in turn makes Eric feel on top of the world.

His plan backfires when they return to the lab and Eric is grabbing something from his car, when his fingers brush against something unfamiliar in the backseat.

Hidden under the driver seat, is a wrapped box and when Eric gives it a gentle shake, whatever’s inside moves around, the sound muffled.

Ducking into his car, Eric slowly opens the present away from prying eyes and finds inside an assortment of random office supplies, all neatly stacked and color coded. The note that came with it says, _'Now no one will have to hear you complain...'_

It may seem like a boring present to anyone else, but Eric has been complaining constantly in the break room about how he’s running low on office material and how he’s had no time to go into storage to grab more.

Eric can add to the list he’s made to figure out who his Secret Santa is that that person definitely seems to have heard Eric’s whining many times then.

By the final week, Eric is not closer to figuring out who his Secret Santa is.

(it’s definitely not Calleigh, who had seen the massage gift card Eric received last week, after complaining for weeks about his bad back after tackling a suspect who was getting away. She had immediately pounced on him and mournfully wished that was her Secret Santa. Apparently Calleigh’s Secret Santa has been sneaking gifts that are in correlation to child care, which has been helpfully, but a free massage would be great too.)

He doubts that his Secret Santa is Horatio. While his boss and brother in law definitely has the means to observe Eric’s movements and hear any of his complains, his gut feeling says it’s not H.

That still leaves Frank, Walter, tom, Natalia, and Ryan as his suspect list.

(He also prays that it’s not Natalia, because that would be kind of awkward, and yeah, now they have a good relationship even though they dated and then it was ruined after it was discovered that she was undercover for the feds. Also, that she had an abusive ex-husband, which definitely dampen the mood, but he’s hoping that if this is her, this isn’t some weird ‘get back together plan’ because he’s single again. Plus, he has feelings for Ryan, even if he’s chickened out on telling the man in question.)

He is proud to say that the tiny gold menorah and scented wax candles that he left Ryan in his lab were well received. Eric had passed by the other day in hopes of getting information on the latest case when his eyes were drawn it, bright and lit high on a shelf near the microscope.

Calleigh definitely teased him about the glow Eric was sporting when he poked his head into her lab after work when he asked if she wanted to get drinks.

He’s more nervous today, about giving his gift, as he digs the brightly wrapped item out of his locker.

Today’s the day that everyone reveals their Secret Santas, and Eric is so glad that Horatio didn’t force them to get together to do the reveal. Instead, the man has chosen for everyone to do their reveals sometime during the day, as long as everyone reveals themselves to their chosen person.

It’s been a slow day at work, everyone feeling anticipation to get off work and head home for the holidays. Most of the team has been holed up in their own labs, sorting through paper work and finishing their reports on several cases having met their end.

It’s at lunch break where Eric and his present head to Ryan’s lab, hoping that the time would allow them privacy, for Eric to do his reveal and also to finally confess his feelings for Ryan. _At least with no one watching them_ , Eric’s mind helpfully supplies, there wouldn’t be an audience for when Ryan rejects him.

Hopefully that won’t happen and Eric will spent the rest of the holidays on cloud nine.

Summoning all his strength and courage, eric bravely knocks on ryan’s lab door, startling the man where his back was turned on the door.

A sheepish smile appeared on the man’s face as he beckoned Eric in and shuffled his papers in a pile, stacking them on his desk as he crossed the room next to Eric.

Pulling the present from behind his back, Eric said, “Happy holidays from your Secret Santa,” and was treated to surprise blooming on Ryan’s face as his eyes darted from Eric’s face to the gift in his hand.

Nodding to the gift, Eric wordlessly gave Ryan permission to open it, his heart speeding up as Ryan tugged open the top.

Inside, snugglely placed were a dozen cupcakes, decorated in blue and gold, topped with a variety of decorations that fit in the hanukah theme. Tucked neatly on the side so it won’t get dirty was a written note, clearly in Eric’s handwriting.

Ryan plucked it out, unfolding it to discover that it said: _‘will you go out with me? (It’s what I_ _asked Santa)’_

There was silence for a few seconds, which seemed like years to Eric as he kept eye contact with Ryan, who seems to be contemplating in his head.

Finally, it seemed like he made up his mind and walked to a drawer, opening it and digging out two wrapped presents.

He strides back to Eric and sets the big one on the table, fiddling with the smaller one in his hands.

Ryan looks up at him, a shy smile dancing on his lips, a blush appearing on his face as he passes it to Eric.

“I didn’t know which one to give you at first, but after seeing your gift, I think I made the right move,” Ryan states.

Despite the sinking feeling in his stomach, acknowledging that Ryan probably didn’t return his feelings and was rejecting him by giving him a bad gift, Eric was curious by Ryan’s words and unwrapped the small package.

So he’s definitely not expecting to find mistletoe in his hands.

Perhaps the shock he feels is clear on his face because Ryan laughs and Eric looks up to see him almost looking proud at himself as he plucks it out of Eric’s hands and holds it high above both of them.

Ryan scoots closer to him, his hand wrapped around Eric’s wrist to tug him closer.

“I may not celebrate Christmas,” Ryan shrugs, amusement dancing in his eyes. “But I couldn’t pass up the opportunity.”

And with that, he pulls in Eric and presses their lips together.

Eric is definitely feeling the holiday spirit this year.


End file.
